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U.S. Security Associates Achieves ISO 9001:2008 Certification Again

ATLANTA – August 29, 2014 – U.S. Security Associates (USA) announced today that the company's quality management system has been re-certified for the next three years in compliance with the globally accepted ISO 9001:2008 standard. In the largely non-regulated security industry, where many companies sacrifice quality to compete on price, USA raised the bar in 2004 by becoming the first security company to achieve ISO 9001:2008 certification at its corporate headquarters and every local office nationwide. USA is now re-certified to the ISO 9001:2008 standard through December 2016, a distinction that continues to be a differentiator in an industry increasingly challenged by eroding margins.

The ISO quality management standard provides checks and balances for USA's security service delivery processes through a formal approach to documenting quality standards and conducting systematic audits to confirm compliance. Meeting the ISO standard requires the security company to define its quality policy and quality roles at the organizational level, to document its service delivery process as a series of quality system procedures, and to incorporate documented proof of quality compliance into the processes themselves.

Exhaustive documentation sets the standards for compliance and provides the data for measurement. Compliance is evaluated through a formal, ongoing audit system that includes annual, internal auditing of the company's 160+ branches and in-depth, third party auditing of a random sampling of 10 branches.

To maintain ISO certification, USA must re-register every three years and verify that company processes are still up to standard. The continuing documentation and audit requirements demand a significant investment of resources and buy-in to the quality focus at every level of the organization.

"Maintaining ISO certification really means incorporating ISO compliance into the way we do business on a permanent basis," explains Senior HR Manager and ISO Management Representative Cyrille Cardona. "There are no shortcuts. USA's ISO 9001:2008 certificate is hard evidence of our organizational commitment to quality and continuous improvement."

About U.S. Security Associates

U.S. Security Associates (USA) is the market-leading, wholly-owned American, full-service safety and security solutions provider. With over 160 locally-responsive offices, international locations and over 50,000 dedicated professionals, they offer the most complete array of physical security, remote surveillance, and global consulting and investigations to ensure better outcomes for thousands of clients and a range of industries. Innovative applications of leading-edge, proprietary technology enable USA to rank annually among the world's best training companies, sustain the highest standards of quality, and underscore world-class customer service with unparalleled accountability. USA's rise as one of the largest innovative security solutions leaders is a natural byproduct of these differentiators and enables the company to provide the most Safe. Secure. Friendly.® environments for people, assets, and brands. For more information, visit www.ussecurityassociates.com.